When do tickets for individual films go on sale?

Jul 16, 10AM Early Bird Bundles & Passes on sale 

Jul 18, 10AM Bundles & Passes go to regular price 

Aug 27, 10AM Presale Access starts- book tickets to the biggest films with an All Access+, Supporter All-Access+ or Corporate All Access+  (hot tip, even if you can’t book tickets during presale it’s a great time to look at the schedule and plan what you want to see and when!) 

Aug 27 (Evening) Trailer Party! A chance to get the inside scoop on what you should see at CIFF 2025 

Aug 28, 11AM Single tickets can be purchased for films and all passholders and ticket bundle holders can book the tickets to what they want to see most 

Sep 18-28 The 26th Annual Calgary International Film Festival

Do you have assigned seating?

No. Seating is first-come, first-served so we encourage you to line up early. 

Want to make sure you’re at the front of the line when the cinema doors open? Consider a All-Access+ Pass - their exclusive line will always be let in first!

There's a film I'm interested in on your website, how do I buy tickets? 

When tickets become available you can purchase them:

1) Online at ciffcalgary.ca 
2) Via the Box Office Team phone line: 587.393.3730,
3) In-person at our venue box offices during the festival.

Patrons can visit us on-site at our venues one hour before the first showtime of the day.  Box offices close 30 minutes after the start of the final screening of the day. 

Payment Info: CIFF accepts credit payments only. Sorry, no cash.

How much does it cost to attend the festival?

Single tickets for the 2025 festival are $17 + box office fees. Special Presentation tickets are $19 + box office fees. Check out ticket bundles and passes to save if you’re planning on seeing multiple films or coming with multiple friends!

Do you charge additional fees to my order? 

Yes, a transaction fee of 5% + $0.99 per item up to a maximum of $10 per transaction. These fees are put in place by our ticketing and payment processing systems.

Are there discounts for group sales? 

If you have more than 20 people in your group or are interested in group sales for a special event, please contact the box office at boxoffice@ciffcalgary.ca. For a group under 20, consider purchasing a ticket bundle with quantity variations of 3, 8, 16.

Are you a corporation looking for a way to host clients or reward staff? Reach out to boxoffice@ciffcalgary.ca for corporate ticketing options or check out our Corporate All Access+ Pass.

Do I need to create an online account? 

Credit card purchases require an account. When you make your first purchase on ciffcalgary.ca, an Eventive ticketing account is automatically created for you. To log in and see your purchases, please click the ‘Login’ button on the top right of ciffcalgary.ca website.

Eventive has an optional feature to log in using your Facebook account. It’s a convenient option that is widely available to many websites and apps. For more information about privacy and the Eventive ticketing system, please review the Eventive privacy policy.

How will CIFF use my personal information?

Through our ticketing platform Eventive, CIFF will keep records of all ticket purchaser names, emails, and any additional contact details provided. 

As indicated in CIFF’s Privacy Policy, this information will be safeguarded and not provided to any other person, organization, or government body.

Will you have films I can stream from home? 

Due to the minimal availability of content we’re allowed to play online, it’s no longer feasible to have streaming options for the festival. We’re sorry, it’s something we’d love to provide but unfortunately we’re limited by what we can get the rights to!

I have a code. How can I use it to redeem a cinema ticket?

Simply enter your code in the discount code box at the time of purchase. 

How do I redeem my ticket bundle? 

When you purchase a ticket bundle, you’re prompted to make an account with our ticket sales provider, Eventive. 

When single tickets go on sale, log in on ciffcalgary.ca using the same account before making your movie selections-it’s essential you’re logged into the same account to ensure your bundle is applied and you aren’t charged for additional tickets. 

If you are properly logged in, you will be able to make your ticket reservations directly from the film page or any of our schedule views. You can redeem your ticket bundles all at once, or one at a time – it’s your choice. You can check the remaining balance on your ticket bundle at any time by logging into your account and looking at the “My Passes/Ticket Bundles” page in your account. 

If you change your mind and would like to cancel/reschedule a ticket, you can do so from the “My Tickets” page in your account up to 24 hours before a film.

Is there an all-access Festival Pass?

This year, we’re brining back the festival pass! Check out our passes & bundles page to see what option is right for you.

Can I share my ticket bundle with a friend?

Yes! You can transfer the unused portion of your ticket bundle from your account to another user’s account.

Visit the "My Pass or Ticket Bundles" section of your account and click the gear-shaped icon next to the bundle that you would like to transfer. Clicking the gear-shaped icon will bring up a pop-up that says "Transfer ticket bundle." Click the link in that pop-up and enter the email of the person you would like to transfer the ticket bundle to in order to initiate the transfer.

The recipient of your ticket bundle will then receive an email prompting them to accept the ticket bundle.  Should you have any difficulty with ticket bundle transfers, please contact boxoffice@ciffcalgary.ca for support.

How do I avoid lineups? 

Doors will open 30 minutes before the scheduled showtime at Scotiabank Chinook Cineplex and Contemporary Calgary, and 45 minutes before the scheduled showtime at Globe Cinema and Plaza Cinema.

Ticket holders must arrive at least 15 minutes before the scheduled start time of the movie to guarantee entry.

Want to make sure you’re at the front of the line when the cinema doors open? Consider a All-Access+ Pass-their exclusive line will always be let in first!

What happens if I arrive late? 

Your ticket guarantees a seat up to 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start of the screening. If late seating may be disruptive, or if absent ticket holder tickets have been re-sold to the Rush Line and we cannot accommodate you within the cinema, you are not eligible for a refund.

What’s a rush line? 

The rush line is admitted on a first-come, first-served basis based on the number of empty seats available in the theatre. Entry from the rush line is not guaranteed, so purchasing your tickets in advance is advisable whenever possible.

I am part of the film industry. How can I get accredited?

Head here for details on industry accreditation & deadlines.

For details on media accreditation, head here.

What is your exchange policy?

During the Festival, ticket exchanges for in-cinema tickets of equal value can be made without additional charges when previously redeemed using a pass or ticket bundle so long as it’s prior to the start time listed on the ticket you’d like to exchange.

Complimentary tickets cannot be exchanged under any circumstances.

What is your refund policy?

CIFF does not offer refunds on any ticket bundles, passes, or single film tickets.

Event Cancellation

If a CIFF event is cancelled or postponed due to action by a governmental entity or law enforcement, civil unrest, act of terrorism, war, or any other circumstance that threatens the safety of participants, staff, or volunteers and is beyond the control of CIFF, patrons can choose to have their purchase transferred to a future event, obtain a refund or donate the value of their purchase back to CIFF.

All patrons will be notified via email of any event cancellation or event postponement. The information related to cancellation or postponement will also be posted on the CIFF website. Fees incurred or donations made as part of your purchase will not be refunded.